Pray for Marriages (Prepare your Hearts)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

 

Advent is here!  We should be as just as excited about Advent as we are Christmas!  Well, maybe not, but just as Christmas is enhanced if we take the time to prepare ahead of time, so will our spirits be elevated if we take the time to prepare our hearts and souls. Advent is a time for preparation for what is coming: the anniversary of the Light coming into the world and the anticipation of His second coming.

 

Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstacle from my people’s way. Isaiah 57:14

 

The Christmas season can bring just as much stress as joy. Endless shopping, cooking, wrapping, addressing, and stamping, can tip the joy/stress/anger meter either way depending on whether or not the work is distributed. Then there are the family gatherings. Different people can bring out long forgotten aspects of our personalities, much to the dismay of one’s spouse. Or one can revert into childhood behaviors that just, well, aren’t that appealing. These “obstacles” can create stress in a marriage just at a time you are hoping for unity and cheer.

 

So the key is preparation! And the best way to prepare is, you guessed it, prayer!!  

 

Lord, we pray that you might help us to pause, clear our minds, still our bodies, and allow you to flood us with your peace. Help us to remember that we are your beloved, a gift beyond our comprehension. Give us the self-control to ignore distractions, make time to pray, and focus on the reason for the season. May we offer the best version of ourselves, and have patience when we don’t receive it in return. May your peace lead us to be more loving, kind, and empathetic with others, especially our spouse. Bless and fortify our marriages. As we reflect on your coming into the world to save us, may we begin to comprehend and imitate the generosity of your self-gift. With you Lord, we believe that all things are possible. Amen.

 

I believe I shall see the LORD’s goodness in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD, take courage; be stouthearted, wait for the LORD! 

Psalm 27:13-14

 

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

 

Show some generosity and pass it on!

Pray for Families (Preparing for the Unprepared)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

 

But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.  Mark 13:32-33

 

Many of us worry about family members who don’t know the Lord and are living lives as such. Or perhaps they know the Lord, but focus on His mercy and not His justice. Whatever the situation, one thing is sure; they need our prayers!

 

Thus, when I read the following private revelation, I was struck by its appropriateness and urgency.

 

Our Lord Jesus to Jennifer on November 18th, 2021:

 

My child, I ask My children that each day at the Hour of Mercy,¹ beginning on the first Sunday of Advent and continuing until the Feast Day of My Divine Mercy,² that my children would recite one chaplet ³ for those who are not prepared to meet me at their hour of death. I ask My children to also recite one Rosary,⁴ particularly at this hour, if possible, praying for protection of families while meditating on the mysteries. I ask My children to recite the St. Michael prayer ⁵ for strength and protection from the enemy’s attacks. Now go forth and tell the world of my requests, for I am Jesus, and my mercy and justice will prevail.

 

In [those] days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark. They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away. So will it be [also] at the coming of the Son of Man.  Matthew 24:38-39

 

Pray dear warriors, pray!  Advent the perfect time to prepare for the coming of the Lord!

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

Advent begins on Sunday, November 28, so don’t hesitate to pass it on! 

 

(Excerpt taken from Countdown to the Kingdom)

 

¹  3:00pm

²  April 24, 2022

³  Chaplet

⁴  Rosary

⁵ St. Michael prayer

Pray for Marriages (A Praise-Worthy Life)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

 

Every day is precious, as each is a gift from God.  Even the worst days are a gift, because only from the pit can we appreciate the mountaintop we took for granted. 

 

Use each day to give thanks for each breath, blink, sound, and movement. Praise Him for giving you the gift of life, for your spouse, and for the blessing of marriage.  If you’ve been fruitful, praise Him also for the blessing of children. 

 

Try to understand what is the will of the Lord […] singing and playing to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks always and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father. Ephesians 5:17, 19-20

 

Finally, show gratitude toward your spouse. Seek to acknowledge all the small kindnesses you take for granted. The coffee made, meals cooked, the lawn mown, the boxes stored, house cleaned, the broken item fixed, the computer reboot, and so on.  Imagine if those kindnesses were removed from your life and then you will see how much you receive that is more expected than appreciated.

 

Promise the Lord a life well-lived, one expressing gratitude to others and glory to God, and your life will be one of thanks-living. 

 

The living, the living give you thanks, as I do today. Isaiah 38:19

 

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

 

Gratitude and praise never grow old. Pass it on!

Pray for Families (Gratitude and Thanks)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

As we approach the family-filled celebration of Thanksgiving, now is a good time to not just meal plan, shop, and clean house, but to pause and reflect upon your blessings. Not just what you are thankful for, but who?  

 

So many people in our lives we take for granted, especially family members. Now is the time to express We take so many people in our lives for granted, especially family members. Now is the time to express your gratitude to them, even those whom you are not so fond of.  Perhaps the one you butt heads with has the very qualities you dislike in yourself? What a gift that they are able to mirror those for you! Maybe you have an outspoken aunt? Perhaps she has awakened you to topics you hadn’t considered or led you to research your own position. Maybe another family member has taught you prudence with your tongue?Maybe you have a sibling whom you’ve not spoken to in some time or another family member you hold a grudge against. Rather than continuing to avoid them, perhaps now is the time to mend fences?  

 

The Lord puts people in our lives and on our paths for a purpose.  

 

For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected when received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the invocation of God in prayer. 1 Timothy 4:4-5

 

So let us look with new eyes, and give glory to God. Let’s ask the Lord for the grace to love and cherish our families more, and to be more patient, kind, and forgiving so that we may persevere and grow in virtue. May each prayer we pray revitalize our souls, that we may be renewed in the desire to pray more for one another!

 

Everything indeed is for you, so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 4:15

 

Blessings on your Thanksgiving holiday! 

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

Prayer is like a self-charging battery.  Pass it on!

 

Pray for Marriages. (Understanding the One)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

Most of you are familiar with the scripture passage:

However, from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Mark 10:7-8

 

One could contemplate the last line for years. One flesh? But why? However, when read in light of the  following scripture, the earlier passage become more illuminated and beckons more consideration.

 

As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. Now the body is not a single part, but many. Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are all the more necessary,and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable we surround with greater honor, and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety, whereas our more presentable parts do not need this. But God has so constructed the body as to give greater honor to a part that is without it, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another. If [one] part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy. 

Corinthians 12: 12, 14, 22-26

 

In marriage, are we lifting up the weaknesses of each other, or calling them out? Are we, treating “our” less presentable parts with more propriety? Are we sharing in our spouse’s sufferings so that they never walk alone? Are we sharing their joy when they are honored, versus harboring resentment? Are we contemplating the fact that we are ONE and what we do against the other harms us?  Such is the mystery of God’s covenant of marriage.

 

Lord, we pray for the wisdom to understand your will for the marriage covenant. You have made us one, so we ask that you first help us love ourselves as we seek more unity within our marriages. Help us to always bring our best self to the other. As we seek understanding and patience from our spouse for our imperfections (physical, emotional, spiritual), may we offer the same to our spouse. May our prayer dissolve any division, anger, and contentiousness. Teach us how to love with humility, gentleness, and compassion. Bless us with an unbreakable bond, secured by your grace. We pray this prayer, not just on our behalf, but on behalf of all who are seeking a stronger, Christ-centered marriage. Amen.

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

Make us one! Pass it on!

Pray for Families (Knowing the Good Shepherd)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

Who hasn’t felt like an aimless sheep at some point? I have! But I have always known that the Lord will guide me through the storms and detours of life back to a place of safety and calm.

 

The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. In green pastures he makes me lie down; to still waters he leads me; he restores my soul. He guides me along right paths for the sake of his name.  Psalm 23:1-3

 

Best of all, he knows me and I know Him.

 

I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep.  John 10: 14-15

 

Yet, many still do not know Him. Others have never been told about Him. Yet he loves them just as much and seeks them out, calling them tirelessly.

 

 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. 

John 10:16

 

Chose a family or a family member to pray for, who doesn’t know the Lord let alone understand how much God loves them. Pray that they may have ears to hear the call of the Good Shepherd.  Pray that they may be open to receiving the love of the Father and the mercy of the Son, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Finally, pray that one day we may be one flock under the one True Shepherd. Then together we can sing Hallelujah!

 

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

 

Prayer becomes more powerful when you pass it on!  

Pray for Marriages (In Gratitude for the Warriors)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

This week in the U.S. we celebrate Veterans Day, we honor the many sacrifices our veterans made to protect our country and other parts of the world. Yet, their sacrifices reached far beyond their military service. Time spent away from their spouse may have had consequences, as loneliness, lack of affection, and anxiety crept in. Those left at home made similar sacrifices. The stress this may have placed on their marriage is unimaginable. When the veteran returns, the relationship never just picks up where it left off. Re-entry and re-engagement are a process, and sometimes what once was, slowly over time (or even very quickly) crumbles. 

 

To honor our veterans, join me in prayer for their marriages. 

 

Lord, help their love flourish again or some more!

 

[Love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:7

 

Bless our patriotic warriors who served in our Armed Forces in any capacity. Bless their spouses who served silently on the home front.  Come with your heavenly grace and heal their emotional wounds, especially the ones that continue to fester and create division within their marriages. Increase their faith and hope, so they may know that you stand in the divide, holding them together until they can build the bridge back. For those with wounds seen and unseen, deformities, or severe limitations, bring them new hope as you bring them living angels to minister to them and their families, showing them that you are the source of truly indescribable peace, joy, and love. Open their hearts to your grace that they may rebuild and strengthen their marriages with you as their foundation. Make sacrificial love be their hearts desire, that they may be a living witness to your unfathomable mercy.  Lord, hear our prayers of petition and answer them! Amen.

 

If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. Philippians 2:1-2

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

Love another by praying for them. Pass it on!

Pray for Families (To Know Me is to Love Me)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

Sometimes one can find themselves in a prayer desert. Or just not in the right space for praise, worship, or even kindness. So, I tried to put it into words. 

 

LORD, you know me, you see me, you have found that my heart is with you. Jeremiah 12:3

 

Lord, sometimes I want to pray, but I’m too tired.

Sometimes I want to praise you, but I’m too focused on the disappointments.

Sometimes I want to glorify you in song, but  the words won’t come. 

Yet you know me and you love me. 

So, I turn to contemplative prayer, and muse upon your kindness and mercy.

I praise you with every blink of my eyelids and every beat of my heart.

I glorify you in every act of love and compassion toward others.

Still, you know me and you love me.

 

Reciting prayers, now moves me from self to other.

Your Word feeds me and leads me to a path of new life.

The Eucharist unites me with you, and gives me renewed hope. 

Yes Lord, you know me and you love me.

 

You have gifted me with family and friends.

You have gifted me with food and shelter.

You have gifted me with your unwavering love and mercy. 

Thank you, Lord, for knowing me and always loving me. 

 

Lord, help us all to love more, pray more, and praise you more. Bless our families, and find the wayward sheep, that they may know your love and be transformed. Help us to love them as you love them, with heartfelt compassion, mercy, and love.  Humble us, and transform us too, that we may welcome them as you do; with open arms and a loving heart, We trust in you, Lord, for you will forever know us and love us, unconditionally.  Amen.

 

Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us. Romans 5:5

 

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

 

He knows us and still loves us. Pass it on!  

Pray for Marriages (Saints and Souls)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

As we enter into November, we have the saints cheering us on and the souls in purgatory pleading for prayer. What a dichotomy. 

 

First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered for everyone.  1 Timothy 2:1

 

It thus seems fitting that as we reflect on marriages, especially our own, that we ask the saints to pray for us and with us, and in an act of humility and love, we pray for the holy souls in purgatory, asking for their prayers too. 

 

For what has died, be it a marriage or a person, can be resurrected to a new life, by calling upon the grace of God.  Lord, save our souls!  Cleanse them, heal them, and make them a reflection of you. 

 

Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, in an instant, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For that which is corruptible must clothe itself with incorruptibility, and that which is mortal must clothe itself with immortality.  1 Corinthians 15:51-53

 

Come Lord Jesus, clothe us with your grace and mercy!

 

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

 

Pray for souls here on earth and those awaiting heavenly entrance. Pass it on!